VALENTINE'S DAY MENU IDEAS
Dress your table with flowers, red or pink napkins, candles and tablecloth, scatter over heart-shaped sequins or rose petals and play some romantic music... A simple and effective gift for a loved one or just to treat yourself on Valentine's Day. Also check out the Valentine's Day Recipies.
MENU FOR 2
Starters:- Daring Dips
Red Bean Dip
Guacamole
Main Courses
Hot 'n' Spicy: Mexican Corned Beef Stew
Vegans Vision: Mushroom and Walnut Quiche
Cool & Classic: Beef Valentine
Desserts: - Cheeky Choc's
Chocolate Fondue
Booze '&' Bits
Irish Cream Liquer
Liquer Coffee
Daring Dips
Chillied Red Bean Dip
2 tablespoons corn oil, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 fresh deseeded & chopped green chilli, 1 teaspoon hot chilli powder, 15oz can red kidney beans, 60g grated mature cheddar cheese, salt.
Heat oil in a frying pan and add garlic, onion, green chilli and chilli powder and cook gently for 4 minutes. Drain kidney beans, reserving liquor and 3 tablespoons of beans. Puree the remainder and add to pan stirring in 2 tablespoons of the liquor. Stir in cheese and rest of beans cooking gently for until cheese melts, seaon with salt, mix well and turn into a serving dish. Garnish with parsley and slivers of chilli - serve warm with Tortilla Chips and crunchy raw veg.
Guacamole - in the Microwave!!
150ml water, 1 tomato, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 slice onion, shake of garlic salt, a pinch each of ground coriander an chilli powder, 1 avocado, salt & pepper.
Put water into a bowl & cook on full for 1-2 min or til boiling, add the tomato and cook for 15 seconds on full power. Pour away the water and replace it with cold water, then peel, quarter and remove tomato seeds. Put tomato, lemon juice, olive oil, onion, garlic salt and spices in a liquidiser for 20 seconds. Halve and remove stone from the Avocado, peel, slice and add to liquidiser, add salt & pepper to taste and then serve with Tortilla Chips and crunchy raw veg.
 Hot 'n' Spicy - Mexican Corned Beef Stew
1/2 medium peeled & finely chopped onion, 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1-2 teaspoons chilli sauce, 4oz baked beans, 4oz tinned tomatoes, 6oz coarsley chopped corned beef, 1/2 can finely chopped tinned chilli, 2oz diced cheddar cheese, 4 taco shells, to garnish use sliced onion rings, orange wedges, strips green pepper.
Combine onion & oil in a 2 litre bowl and cook in the microwave for 6 minutes on Full Power, stirring once or twice during cooking until the onions just begin to brown. Stir in the chilli sauce and half the baked beans, mash with a fork or potato masher. Pour in the tomatoes and juice, crushing the tomatoes lightly. Add corned beef then stir in remaining beans and chopped chilli. Cook uncovered for further 7 minutes or til hot, stirring once during cooking. Stir the cheese into the hot beef mixture, cover and leave to stand for 2 minutes. Spread the taco shells on the turntable & heat for about 4 min. Fill with beef mixture & garnish.
Veggies Vision - Mushroom & Walnut Quiche
Pastry - 75g plain flour, salt, 40g soft margarine, 1 tablespoon cold water.
Filling - 15g butter, 1 small chopped onion, 75g sliced button mushrooms, 15oz chopped walnuts, 6fl oz can evaporated milk, 3 eggs, salt & pepper.
Pastry - sift flour & salt together, rub in marg until it looks like heavy crumbs. Stir in the water and mix to form a dough. Roll out and line a 7" dish, place greaseproof paper on top and fill with dried beans, cooking on Maximum for 2 minutes. To make the filling, combine, butter, onion in a bowl and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Stir then cook until the onion is soft. Drain and spread onion in the flan case. Cover with mushrooms and sprinkle walnuts on top. Warm the milk and beat in eggs & seasoning. Pour egg mixture into flan case reduce setting to medium low and cook for 10-12 min or until the custard is set round the edges. Leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Cool & Classic - Beef Valentine
8oz rump steak, 1 tablespoon plain flour, 1 can anchovy fillets, 1oz butter, 1 sliced onion, 1/4pt beef stock, 3 tablespoons soured cream, salt & pepper.
Cut steak into strips about 1/2 inch wide & 2 inches long. Toss them in flour. Drain anchovies and cut into pieces. Heat butter in a pan, add the onion and fry for 3 minutes. Add the steak and anchovies and fry for 5 minutes stirring all the time. Gradually stir in the stock and bring to boil. Cook gently for two minutes. Stir in the cream and season to taste. Serve on noodles with a green salad.
Desserts - Cheeky Choc's
Chocolate Fondue
assortment of fruit, chunked
70z plain chocolate
14oz condensed milk
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tblspn Creme de Cacao liquer
Break up chocolate into a bowl and cook on Full power for 1 min. Stir & repeat cooking. Add in the rest of the ingredients, leaving the Creme de Cacao til last. Pour into a fondue pot & decorate with a swirl of cream
Booze 'n' Bits
Irish Cream Liquer
1 x 14 oz tin evaporated milk or cream
1 x 14 oz tin condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
2 teaspoons glycerine
2 tspns coffee granules or cocoa powder
12 oz Whisky or Brandy
Mix all ingredients together and place into dark bottles, shake occasionally. Leave in the fridge for approx 2 weeks to mature or drink after 2 days if prefered. (It tastes great)
Liqueur Coffee
150 ml water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
3 cloves
1 strip each orange & lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 pint extra strong hot black coffee
3-6 tablespoons Brandy or Whisky
150ml double cream
Combine water, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, orange & lemon peel in a large bowl or jug, cook in the microwave for 3 min or till boiling, stir & cook for 5 more minutes, strain, return liquid to jug and reheat for 1 min. Pour coffee into heated cups then add 3 tablespoons of the mixture into each cup. Carefully pour 1-2 tablespoons of brandy over the rounded bowl of a warmed teaspoon held over the coffee. Ignite carefully at once. Stir 1-2 tablespoons cream into each cup and serve.
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